SOUTHWEST


Meaning of SOUTHWEST in English

I. (ˈ)sau̇|thwest, usual nautical pronunciation -au̇|w- adverb

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English sūthwest, from sūth south + west

: to, toward, or in the southwest : southwestward

II. noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English sūthwest, from sūthwest, adverb

1.

a. : the general direction between the south and west

b. : the part of the southern sky lying west of the observer's meridian

c. : the point of the compass midway between the cardinal points south and west : the point directly opposite to northeast — abbr. SW ; see compass card

2. usually capitalized

a. : regions or countries lying to the southwest of a specified or implied point of orientation

b. : something (as people or institutions) characteristic of the Southwest

the Southwest is concerned over the problem of wetbacks

3. : the southwest wind

III. adjective

Etymology: Middle English, from southwest (I)

1. : coming from the southwest

a southwest wind

2. : situated toward or at the southwest

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.